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How do you figure out the score distribution in your class?

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 10:40 pm
by Connor Benz
I am horrible at math and we just received our midterm grades. I am trying to figure out how many people got which score in the class. All I know is the mean.

For example:
50 students
Average score: 72

How would I figure out how many people got this score? (I'm assuming it would be 25)

Re: How do you figure out the score distribution in your class?

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 10:51 pm
by ph14
Connor Benz wrote:I am horrible at math and we just received our midterm grades. I am trying to figure out how many people got which score in the class. All I know is the mean.

For example:
50 students
Average score: 72

How would I figure out how many people got this score? (I'm assuming it would be 25)
You can't figure out your distribution from just the mean.

For example, a mean of 5:

It could be 5 and 5
It could be 4 and 6
It could be 3 and 7.

You just can't tell from only that information.

Re: How do you figure out the score distribution in your class?

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 10:57 pm
by Connor Benz
DAMN!

thanks!

Re: How do you figure out the score distribution in your class?

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 11:00 pm
by ph14
Connor Benz wrote:DAMN!

thanks!
No problem. Good luck.

Re: How do you figure out the score distribution in your class?

Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:22 pm
by POTUS2044
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_distribution

this is probably your best approximation if you know absolutely nothing else about the distribution

Re: How do you figure out the score distribution in your class?

Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:46 pm
by Dogg
Connor Benz wrote:I am horrible at math and we just received our midterm grades. I am trying to figure out how many people got which score in the class. All I know is the mean.

For example:
50 students
Average score: 72

How would I figure out how many people got this score? (I'm assuming it would be 25)
prof didn't give the top score ?